Donna
Siegel

Presenting Information To The Customer

"Fire the salespeople; let the customer order from the Web or the catalog!" You've probably heard this silly idea before. It doesn't work in sales because everyone needs to hear the story in a different way. And it's no different in service, where canned statements don't cut it, as you'll see in Presenting Information To The Customer.

From The Customer's Perspective

You may not realize this, but when I come to talk to you about my problem, I feel intimidated. I know you're there to help me, but I really don't understand a lot of what you are telling me. It's all so confusing and overwhelming. I might ask a simple question like, "Why was I charged this service fee?" I feel that you should be able to look it up in your computer and give me a simple, straightforward answer. But that's not what happens.

Instead, we go through a long list of questions and answers, and you still might not be able to tell me the answer. Then, you tell me, "You'll have to understand, Mr. Wellemeyer," and you quote rules that don't make any sense to me. All I wanted was a straightforward answer to a simple question.

From The Rep's Perspective

A good rep knows that one of the major ways to help customers is to give them the information they need. That's why reps spend time going through the process of asking questions. They find out as much as they can about what the customer is trying to do, and they assure the customer that they will be helped. They end up with a list of questions that need to be answered, information that needs to be looked up and actions that need to be taken. The next step in the process is to deliver what the customer needs -- information.

Decisions For Presenting Answers

With this list of questions in front of you, it's tempting to respond immediately. That seems to be the most efficient way to go. But if you just start responding without thinking about the impact of your words and actions, you may not get the results you desire. Helping people is more than saying or doing the right things; it is making sure the customer understands your information and the actions that will be taken to help them. You have to think about the best way to transfer the information to the minds of the customers.

Before you can answer any of the customer's questions or present any information about your company, your products or services, you need to make make the following decisions:

• What types of information to present.
• How much information to present.
• In what order to present the information.
• What methods to use.
• What words to use.

Deciding what to present
Your first decision is what to present to the customer. In every situation, there are many facts that customers might need to know. These include everything from product features and costs to the procedures for buying or using the product or service.

Some of the information you have to provide is the direct result of questions the customer asks you. For example, if a customer asks, "How is interest calculated on this store's credit card?" you will have to present some details on the interest calculation. Other information you need to include is the result of preferences the customer expresses. For example, the customer might say, "I really prefer to come into the store every month and give you a check. You can't trust the mail these days," you know the customer prefers to come to customer service every month. In both cases, the customer is telling you what he wants to know.

Often, customers don't know enough about the implications of what they are trying to do to tell you what they need. They have to rely on you and your knowledge. After all, you know much better than the customer how your company operates.

For example, the customer who prefers to pay bills in person might not think to ask about customer service hours, types of identification that will be needed, differences between the procedures for paying the full balance or paying a partial balance, etc. You have to make sure the customer knows the important facts to fully understand the impact of their decisions.

So what information do you need to present to the customer? You need to present the following information:

• Facts they specifically request from you about the product or service.
• Facts they might need to know when they indicate a preference for one type of feature or another.
• Facts they need to know to make an intelligent decision.

Deciding how much to present
It is important for customers to know everything possible when they ask for assistance. An educated customer is a good customer. And there are some customers who really do want to know everything possible, down to the most minute detail. However, this is not true of all customers.

The customer's need to know everything should be balanced with the rate at which people can absorb new information. Some people can only work with a small amount of new information. They have to think about it and understand it before they are ready to hear more. It doesn't pay to overwhelm the customer with information, or we risk the possibility of the customer becoming confused.

In the world of customer service, too little is better than too much, as long as the essential pieces of information are covered. If you present too little, and the customers want more information, they can always ask more questions.

For example, if a customer comes into your store to exchange a product, what does the customer really need to know? You might want to tell the customer that it is the store policy to make the exchange and that the replacement item is in stock. In addition, you need to enter information into the computer, call the stock room and get a supervisor's signature. Does the customer need to know the codes you enter into the computer or the stock room phone number? Probably not.

How do you know how much information is appropriate to the customer? You follow their lead based on the information you gathered from them. You give them the answers to the questions they ask you, and then you pause. If the customer needs to know more, they will ask.

Deciding the order of the presentation
The next decision is how to order of the facts you will be presenting. Once again, the key to making the right decision is to follow the directions of the customer, no matter how subtle. Think about what is most important to the customer, based on their questions or their description of their needs.

First, deliver points that directly relate to the areas the customer spent the most time talking about. If they spent time talking about it, it is important to them. Next, answer specific questions the customer asked you. Then, add any other points you feel are necessary at this time.

Deciding the methods of presentation
So far, we've been talking about what you might say to customers so that they can make a good decision. Sometimes, talking is not the most effective way to provide information to a customer. Sometimes, it's better to show the customer information.

For example, if you want a customer to know the steps they need to take to get service for their damaged toaster, you might go through the list of steps one-by-one. Or you might hand them a written copy of the steps. That way, they can see the details, and they have something to take away with them.

Other times, you might want to use a form to help explain a procedure. If your company allows customers to buy spare parts for a product by mail, you might want to go over how to fill out the order card.

In still other cases, you might have a question that is best answered by someone else in the company. So part of your presentation might be to get input from an expert.

To determine the best methods for presenting information to a customer:

• Look at how the customer told you about their needs. If they showed you specific points, you know they like to receive information that way. You should provide them with materials like forms and brochures.
  
  
• If the customer needs simple answers, present those ideas in your own words. Perhaps add a brochure or other material that they can take with them.
  
  
• If the answer to the question is complex, verbalize the most important points for the customer to know right away. Then, refer to support materials for the rest of the information.

Deciding the words to use
The final decision is selecting the right words to use. What works well with one customer might have a very negative impact on the next. There are two important reasons why the selection of specific words play an important role in determining how effective the presentation of information will be:

• Words are not neutral. They don't necessarily have the same meaning for everyone. Even the simplest words have associations, impressions, and personal experiences wrapped around them. These associations leave very strong impressions through which all the information is filtered.
  
  
• People have preferences about which words they like to use. When you use their preferred words, they are more apt to listen and understand your message.

For these reasons, it's important to pick words carefully before presenting any facts about your products or services. You want to use words that are familiar and comfortable to your customers. For example, if a customer comes to you for help keeping her flowers looking beautiful, you know that a major part of the service you need to deliver involves tender loving care for her flower beds.

To be effective in your presentation of information, you need to know what words people need to hear from you. The good news is that people tell us the specific words which will work best for them. If you listen carefully to the words they use, they give you clues. Ask a customer a question, and they will give you an answer using their preferred words.

Summary

Before you begin to present one word to a customer about your products and services, you have to make these decisions:

What information does this person need to make a decision?
You only want to present the information that is really going to impact their decision-making process. While more information would be useful, it might slow them down.

How much information should I present right now?
Is there part of the information that can wait until later, so the customer does not become overwhelmed by all the details?

In what order should I present the facts?
People are most interested in information they consider relevant to what they are trying to do. Use the order that reflects their interests.

How does the customer need to receive the facts?
Is this a customer who understands the information best by listening to you, or is this a person who prefers to see something in writing?

What are the best words to use when I speak to this customer?
Make sure you use words that are comfortable to the customer. The best words to use are the customer's preferred words.

SeaBird Associates Inc
3011 NE 7th Drive
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: 561-750-9233
E-mail: Donna Siegel

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